As a former businessman (retail store for 14 years on Grand and later
Marshall), I agree with Renee that business is not bad. Lots of good business
people in this city. And I'm sure the Chamber has done some good things. But I
strenuously disagree with Renee that the abuse of TIF financing or any other
way that big business uses a cozy relationship with the mayor or other elected
officials to get sweetheart deals is justifiable because it's legal--or that it
even necessarily keeps jobs in the city. Don't forget all the opportunity costs
involved. John Mannillo has eloquently described in the past the impact on the
property values and the business climate by having an overbuilt downtown with
lots of unused or under occupied office space, and Bob Spaulding has eloquently
described the impacts on transit and the mix of downtown uses that come from
wrongheaded decisions. Far more jobs could be created by encouraging
entrepreneurship with micro loans and other tools than simply giving the big
handout that leads to more big buildings and big companies reaping a windfall.
I think it's completely inaccurate to say this matter falls in the lap of the
state or the legislature, rather than the city, and also wrong to suggest that
the city "loves" it. Some folks in the city may love it, but all the people
losing out because TIF projects never generate the kind of economic windfall
associated with them don't like it. As you said, "school districts and counties
get shafted on it," and it certainly should be the city's concerns. If we don't
have good schools with adequate funding, if we don't have enough affordable and
workforce housing in the city because of choices made based on what's legally
possible rather than what's in the city's best interest, well that sure as heck
better be thought of as the city's problem.
This is about leadership, or better put, the lack thereof, throughout both the
Coleman and Kelly administrations. I'm not saying that nothing good has
happened in St. Paul during that time, but both administrations have been so
rife with cronyism, favors to big business, and political advancement at the
expense of everything else that we've seen a dramatic step backwards in terms
of St. Paul being a modern city rather than one run by a good old boy network.
And when there is such political strife in City Hall because of this dynamic,
it does impact schools, neighborhoods, and ultimately all those small
businesses that don't get handouts and have to make money the old fashioned way.
Tom Goldstein
(now in) Hamline-Midway
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